Campanella- the City of the Sun

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THE CITY OF THE SUN

A POETICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN A

GRANDMASTER OF THE KNIGHTS

HOSPITALLERS AND A GENOESE SEA-CAPTAIN, HIS GUEST

* * *

TOMMASO CAMPANELLA

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The City of the SunA Poetical Dialogue between a Grandmaster of the Knights

Hospitallers and a Genoese Sea-captain, his Guest

First published in 1623.

ISBN 978-1-775410-51-5

© 2009 THE FLOATING PRESS.

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*

Grand Master. Prithee, now, tell me what happened toyou during that voyage?

Captain. I have already told you how I wandered over the

whole earth. In the course of my journeying I came to

Taprobane, and was compelled to go ashore at a place,

where through fear of the inhabitants I remained in awood. When I stepped out of this I found myself on a

large plain immediately under the equator.

G.M. And what befell you here?

Capt. I came upon a large crowd of men and armedwomen, many of whom did not understand our language,

and they conducted me forthwith to the City of the Sun.

G.M. Tell me after what plan this city is built and how it

is governed.

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Capt. The greater part of the city is built upon a high hill,

which rises from an extensive plain, but several of its

circles extend for some distance beyond the base of the

hill, which is of such a size that the diameter of the city

is upward of two miles, so that its circumference

becomes about seven. On account of the humped shape

of the mountain, however, the diameter of the city is

really more than if it were built on a plain.

It is divided into seven rings or huge circles named from

the seven planets, and the way from one to the other of

these is by four streets and through four gates, that look

toward the four points of the compass. Furthermore, it is

so built that if the first circle were stormed, it would of

necessity entail a double amount of energy to storm thesecond; still more to storm the third; and in each

succeeding case the strength and energy would have to

be doubled; so that he who wishes to capture that city

must, as it were, storm it seven times. For my own part,

however, I think that not even the first wall could be

occupied, so thick are the earthworks and so wellfortified is it with breastworks, towers, guns, and ditches.

When I had been taken through the northern gate (which

is shut with an iron door so wrought that it can be raised

and let down, and locked in easily and strongly, its

projections running into the grooves of the thick posts by

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a marvellous device), I saw a level space seventy paces[1] wide between the first and second walls. From hence

can be seen large palaces, all joined to the wall of thesecond circuit in such a manner as to appear all one

palace. Arches run on a level with the middle height of

the palaces, and are continued round the whole ring.

There are galleries for promenading upon these arches,

which are supported from beneath by thick and well-

shaped columns, enclosing arcades like peristyles, orcloisters of an abbey.

But the palaces have no entrances from below, except on

the inner or concave partition, from which one enters

directly to the lower parts of the building. The higher

parts, however, are reached by flights of marble steps,which lead to galleries for promenading on the inside

similar to those on the outside. From these one enters the

higher rooms, which are very beautiful, and have

windows on the concave and convex partitions. These

rooms are divided from one another by richly decorated

walls. The convex or outer wall of the ring is about eightspans thick; the concave, three; the intermediate walls

are one, or perhaps one and a half. Leaving this circle

one gets to the second plain, which is nearly three paces

narrower than the first. Then the first wall of the second

ring is seen adorned above and below with similar

galleries for walking, and there is on the inside of it

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another interior wall enclosing palaces. It has also similar

peristyles supported by columns in the lower part, but

above are excellent pictures, round the ways into theupper houses. And so on afterward through similar

spaces and double walls, enclosing palaces, and adorned

with galleries for walking, extending along their outer

side, and supported by columns, till the last circuit is

reached, the way being still over a level plain.

But when the two gates, that is to say, those of the

outmost and the inmost walls, have been passed, one

mounts by means of steps so formed that an ascent is

scarcely discernible, since it proceeds in a slanting

direction, and the steps succeed one another at almost

imperceptible heights. On the top of the hill is a ratherspacious plain, and in the midst of this there rises a

temple built with wondrous art.

G.M. Tell on, I pray you! Tell on! I am dying to hear

more.

Capt. The temple is built in the form of a circle; it is not

girt with walls, but stands upon thick columns,

beautifully grouped. A very large dome, built with great

care in the centre or pole, contains another small vault as

it were rising out of it, and in this is a spiracle, which is

right over the altar. There is but one altar in the middle of

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the temple, and this is hedged round by columns. The

temple itself is on a space of more than 350 paces.

Without it, arches measuring about eight paces extendfrom the heads of the columns outward, whence other

columns rise about three paces from the thick, strong,

and erect wall. Between these and the former columns

there are galleries for walking, with beautiful pavements,

and in the recess of the wall, which is adorned with

numerous large doors, there are immovable seats, placedas it were between the inside columns, supporting the

temple. Portable chairs are not wanting, many and well

adorned. Nothing is seen over the altar but a large globe,

upon which the heavenly bodies are painted, and another

globe upon which there is a representation of the earth.

Furthermore, in the vault of the dome there can bediscerned representations of all the stars of heaven from

the first to the sixth magnitude, with their proper names

and power to influence terrestrial things marked in three

little verses for each. There are the poles and greater and

lesser circles according to the right latitude of the place,

but these are not perfect because there is no wall below.

They seem, too, to be made in their relation to the globes

on the altar. The pavement of the temple is bright with

precious stones. Its seven golden lamps hang always

burning, and these bear the names of the seven planets.

At the top of the building several small and beautiful

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cells surround the small dome, and behind the level

space above the bands or arches of the exterior and

interior columns there are many cells, both small andlarge, where the priests and religious officers dwell to the

number of forty-nine.

A revolving flag projects from the smaller dome, and this

shows in what quarter the wind is. The flag is marked

with figures up to thirty-six, and the priests know whatsort of year the different kinds of winds bring and what

will be the changes of weather on land and sea.

Furthermore, under the flag a book is always kept written

with letters of gold.

G.M. I pray you, worthy hero, explain to me their wholesystem of government; for I am anxious to hear it.

Capt. The great ruler among them is a priest whom they

call by the name Hoh, though we should call him

Metaphysic. He is head over all, in temporal and spiritual

matters, and all business and lawsuits are settled by him,as the supreme authority. Three princes of equal power

— viz., Pon, Sin, and Mor — assist him, and these in our

tongue we should call Power, Wisdom, and Love. To

Power belongs the care of all matters relating to war and

peace. He attends to the military arts, and, next to Hoh,

he is ruler in every affair of a warlike nature. He governs

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the military magistrates and the soldiers, and has the

management of the munitions, the fortifications, the

storming of places, the implements of war, the armories,the smiths and workmen connected with matters of this

sort.

But Wisdom is the ruler of the liberal arts, of mechanics,

of all sciences with their magistrates and doctors, and of

the discipline of the schools. As many doctors as thereare, are under his control. There is one doctor who is

called Astrologus; a second, Cosmographus; a third,

Arithmeticus; a fourth, Geometra; a fifth,

Historiographus; a sixth, Poeta; a seventh, Logicus; an

eighth, Rhetor; a ninth, Grammaticus; a tenth, Medicus;

an eleventh, Physiologus; a twelfth, Politicus; athirteenth, Moralis. They have but one book, which they

call Wisdom, and in it all the sciences are written with

conciseness and marvellous fluency of expression. This

they read to the people after the custom of the

Pythagoreans. It is Wisdom who causes the exterior and

interior, the higher and lower walls of the city to be

adorned with the finest pictures, and to have all the

sciences painted upon them in an admirable manner. On

the walls of the temple and on the dome, which is let

down when the priest gives an address, lest the sounds of

his voice, being scattered, should fly away from his

audience, there are pictures of stars in their different

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magnitudes, with the powers and motions of each,

expressed separately in three little verses.

On the interior wall of the first circuit all the

mathematical figures are conspicuously painted —

figures more in number than Archimedes or Euclid

discovered, marked symmetrically, and with the

explanation of them neatly written and contained each in

a little verse. There are definitions and propositions, etc.On the exterior convex wall is first an immense drawing

of the whole earth, given at one view. Following upon

this, there are tablets setting forth for every separate

country the customs both public and private, the laws,

the origins and the power of the inhabitants; and the

alphabets the different people use can be seen above thatof the City of the Sun.

On the inside of the second circuit, that is to say of the

second ring of buildings, paintings of all kinds of

precious and common stones, of minerals and metals, are

seen; and a little piece of the metal itself is also therewith an apposite explanation in two small verses for each

metal or stone. On the outside are marked all the seas,

rivers, lakes, and streams which are on the face of the

earth; as are also the wines and the oils and the different

liquids, with the sources from which the last are

extracted, their qualities and strength. There are also

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vessels built into the wall above the arches, and these are

full of liquids from one to 300 years old, which cure all

diseases. Hail and snow, storms and thunder, andwhatever else takes place in the air, are represented with

suitable figures and little verses. The inhabitants even

have the art of representing in stone all the phenomena of

the air, such as the wind, rain, thunder, the rainbow, etc.

On the interior of the third circuit all the differentfamilies of trees and herbs are depicted, and there is a

live specimen of each plant in earthenware vessels

placed upon the outer partition of the arches. With the

specimens there are explanations as to where they were

first found, what are their powers and natures, and

resemblances to celestial things and to metals, to parts ofthe human body and to things in the sea, and also as to

their uses in medicine, etc. On the exterior wall are all

the races of fish found in rivers, lakes, and seas, and their

habits and values, and ways of breeding, training, and

living, the purposes for which they exist in the world,

and their uses to man. Further, their resemblances to

celestial and terrestrial things, produced both by nature

and art, are so given that I was astonished when I saw a

fish which was like a bishop, one like a chain, another

like a garment, a fourth like a nail, a fifth like a star, and

others like images of those things existing among us, the

relation in each case being completely manifest. There

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and in law are represented. There I saw Moses, Osiris,

Jupiter, Mercury, Lycurgus, Pompilius, Pythagoras,

Zamolxis, Solon, Charondas, Phoroneus, with very manyothers. They even have Mahomet, whom nevertheless

they hate as a false and sordid legislator. In the most

dignified position I saw a representation of Jesus Christ

and of the twelve Apostles, whom they consider very

worthy and hold to be great. Of the representations of

men, I perceived Caesar, Alexander, Pyrrhus, andHannibal in the highest place; and other very renowned

heroes in peace and war, especially Roman heroes, were

painted in lower positions, under the galleries. And when

I asked with astonishment whence they had obtained our

history, they told me that among them there was a

knowledge of all languages, and that by perseverancethey continually send explorers and ambassadors over

the whole earth, who learn thoroughly the customs,

forces, rule and histories of the nations, bad and good

alike. These they apply all to their own republic, and

with this they are well pleased. I learned that cannon and

typography were invented by the Chinese before we

knew of them. There are magistrates who announce the

meaning of the pictures, and boys are accustomed to

learn all the sciences, without toil and as if for pleasure;

but in the way of history only until they are ten years old.

Love is foremost in attending to the charge of the race.

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He sees that men and women are so joined together, that

they bring forth the best offspring. Indeed, they laugh at

us who exhibit a studious care for our breed of horsesand dogs, but neglect the breeding of human beings.

Thus the education of the children is under his rule. So

also is the medicine that is sold, the sowing and

collecting of fruits of the earth and of trees, agriculture,

pasturage, the preparations for the months, the cooking

arrangements, and whatever has any reference to food,clothing, and the intercourse of the sexes. Love himself

is ruler, but there are many male and female magistrates

dedicated to these arts.

Metaphysic, then, with these three rulers, manages all the

above-named matters, and even by himself alone nothingis done; all business is discharged by the four together,

but in whatever Metaphysic inclines to the rest are sure

to agree.

G.M. Tell me, please, of the magistrates, their services

and duties, of the education and mode of living, whetherthe government is a monarchy, a republic, or an

aristocracy.

Capt. This race of men came there from India, flying

from the sword of the Magi, a race of plunderers and

tyrants who laid waste their country, and they determined

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to lead a philosophic life in fellowship with one another.

Although the community of wives is not instituted

among the other inhabitants of their province, amongthem it is in use after this manner: All things are

common with them, and their dispensation is by the

authority of the magistrates. Arts and honors and

pleasures are common, and are held in such a manner

that no one can appropriate anything to himself.

They say that all private property is acquired and

improved for the reason that each one of us by himself

has his own home and wife and children. From this, self-

love springs. For when we raise a son to riches and

dignities, and leave an heir to much wealth, we become

either ready to grasp at the property of the State, if in anycase fear should be removed from the power which

belongs to riches and rank; or avaricious, crafty, and

hypocritical, if anyone is of slender purse, little strength,

and mean ancestry. But when we have taken away self-

love, there remains only love for the State.

G.M. Under such circumstances no one will be willing to

labor, while he expects others to work, on the fruit of

whose labors he can live, as Aristotle argues against

Plato.

Capt. I do not know how to deal with that argument, but

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I declare to you that they burn with so great a love for

their fatherland, as I could scarcely have believed

possible; and indeed with much more than the historiestell us belonged to the Romans, who fell willingly for

their country, inasmuch as they have to a greater extent

surrendered their private property. I think truly that the

friars and monks and clergy of our country, if they were

not weakened by love for their kindred and friends or by

the ambition to rise to higher dignities, would be lessfond of property, and more imbued with a spirit of

charity toward all, as it was in the time of the apostles,

and is now in a great many cases.

G.M. St. Augustine may say that, but I say that among

this race of men, friendship is worth nothing, since theyhave not the chance of conferring mutual benefits on one

another.

Capt. Nay, indeed. For it is worth the trouble to see that

no one can receive gifts from another. Whatever is

necessary they have, they receive it from the community,and the magistrate takes care that no one receives more

than he deserves. Yet nothing necessary is denied to

anyone. Friendship is recognized among them in war, in

infirmity, in the art contests, by which means they aid

one another mutually by teaching. Sometimes they

improve themselves mutually with praises, with

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conversation, with actions, and out of the things they

need. All those of the same age call one another brothers.

They call all over twenty-two years of age, fathers; thosethat are less than twenty-two are named sons. Moreover,

the magistrates govern well, so that no one in the

fraternity can do injury to another.

G.M. And how?

Capt. As many names of virtues as there are among us,

so many magistrates there are among them. There is a

magistrate who is named Magnanimity, another

Fortitude, a third Chastity, a fourth Liberality, a fifth

Criminal and Civil Justice, a sixth Comfort, a seventh

Truth, an eighth Kindness, a tenth Gratitude, an eleventhCheerfulness, a twelfth Exercise, a thirteenth Sobriety,

etc. They are elected to duties of that kind, each one to

that duty for excellence in which he is known from

boyhood to be most suitable. Wherefore among them

neither robbery nor clever murders, nor lewdness, incest,

adultery, or other crimes of which we accuse oneanother, can be found. They accuse themselves of

ingratitude and malignity when anyone denies a lawful

satisfaction to another of indolence, of sadness, of anger,

of scurrility, of slander, and of lying, which curseful

thing they thoroughly hate. Accused persons undergoing

punishment are deprived of the common table, and other

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honors, until the judge thinks that they agree with their

correction.

G.M. Tell me the manner in which the magistrates are

chosen.

Capt. You would not rightly understand this, unless you

first learned their manner of living. That you may know,

then, men and women wear the same kind of garment,suited for war. The women wear the toga below the knee,

but the men above; and both sexes are instructed in all

the arts together. When this has been done as a start, and

before their third year, the boys learn the language and

the alphabet on the walls by walking round them. They

have four leaders, and four elders, the first to direct them,the second to teach them, and these are men approved

beyond all others. After some time they exercise

themselves with gymnastics, running, quoits, and other

games, by means of which all their muscles are

strengthened alike. Their feet are always bare, and so are

their heads as far as the seventh ring. Afterward they leadthem to the offices of the trades, such as shoemaking,

cooking, metal-working, carpentry, painting, etc. In order

to find out the bent of the genius of each one, after their

seventh year, when they have already gone through the

mathematics on the walls, they take them to the readings

of all the sciences; there are four lectures at each reading,

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and in the course of four hours the four in their order

explain everything.

For some take physical exercise or busy themselves with

public services or functions, others apply themselves to

reading. Leaving these studies all are devoted to the

more abstruse subjects, to mathematics, to medicine, and

to other sciences. There are continual debate and studied

argument among them, and after a time they becomemagistrates of those sciences or mechanical arts in which

they are the most proficient; for everyone follows the

opinion of his leader and judge, and goes out to the

plains to the works of the field, and for the purpose of

becoming acquainted with the pasturage of the dumb

animals. And they consider him the more noble andrenowned who has dedicated himself to the study of the

most arts and knows how to practise them wisely.

Wherefore they laugh at us in that we consider our

workmen ignoble, and hold those to be noble who have

mastered no pursuit, but live in ease and are so many

slaves given over to their own pleasure and

lasciviousness; and thus, as it were, from a school of

vices so many idle and wicked fellows go forth for the

ruin of the State.

The rest of the officials, however, are chosen by the four

chiefs, Hoh, Pon, Sin and Mor, and by the teachers of

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that art over which they are fit to preside. And these

teachers know well who is most suited for rule. Certain

men are proposed by the magistrates in council, theythemselves not seeking to become candidates, and he

opposes who knows anything against those brought

forward for election, or, if not, speaks in favor of them.

But no one attains to the dignity of Hoh except him who

knows the histories of the nations, and their customs and

sacrifices and laws, and their form of government,whether a republic or a monarchy. He must also know

the names of the lawgivers and the inventors in science,

and the laws and the history of the earth and the heavenly

bodies. They think it also necessary that he should

understand all the mechanical arts, the physical sciences,

astrology and mathematics. Nearly every two days theyteach our mechanical art. They are not allowed to

overwork themselves, but frequent practice and the

paintings render learning easy to them. Not too much

care is given to the cultivation of languages, as they have

a goodly number of interpreters who are grammarians in

the State. But beyond everything else it is necessary that

Hoh should understand metaphysics and theology; that

he should know thoroughly the derivations, foundations,

and demonstrations of all the arts and sciences; the

likeness and difference of things; necessity, fate, and the

harmonies of the universe; power, wisdom, and the love

of things and of God; the stages of life and its symbols;

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everything relating to the heavens, the earth, and the sea;

and the ideas of God, as much as mortal man can know

of him. He must also be well read in the prophets and inastrology. And thus they know long beforehand who will

be Hoh. He is not chosen to so great a dignity unless he

has attained his thirty-fifth year. And this office is

perpetual, because it is not known who may be too wise

for it or who too skilled in ruling.

G.M. Who indeed can be so wise? If even anyone has a

knowledge of the sciences it seems that he must be

unskilled in ruling.

Capt. This very question I asked them and they replied

thus: "We, indeed, are more certain that such a verylearned man has the knowledge of governing, than you

who place ignorant persons in authority, and consider

them suitable merely because they have sprung from

rulers or have been chosen by a powerful faction. But our

Hoh, a man really the most capable to rule, is for all that

never cruel nor wicked, nor a tyrant, inasmuch as he possesses so much wisdom. This, moreover, is not

unknown to you, that the same argument cannot apply

among you, when you consider that man the most

learned who knows most of grammar, or logic, or of

Aristotle or any other author. For such knowledge as this

of yours much servile labor and memory work are

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required, so that a man is rendered unskilful, since he has

contemplated nothing but the words of books and has

given his mind with useless result to the consideration ofthe dead signs of things. Hence he knows not in what

way God rules the universe, nor the ways and customs of

nature and the nations. Wherefore he is not equal to our

Hoh. For that one cannot know so many arts and sciences

thoroughly, who is not esteemed for skilled ingenuity,

very apt at all things, and therefore at ruling especially.This also is plain to us that he who knows only one

science, does not really know either that or the others,

and he who is suited for only one science and has

gathered his knowledge from books, is unlearned and

unskilled. But this is not the case with intellects prompt

and expert in every branch of knowledge and suitable forthe consideration of natural objects, as it is necessary that

our Hoh should be. Besides in our State the sciences are

taught with a facility (as you have seen) by which more

scholars are turned out by us in one year than by you in

ten, or even fifteen. Make trial, I pray you, of these boys."

In this matter I was struck with astonishment at their

truthful discourse and at the trial of their boys, who did

not understand my language well. Indeed it is necessary

that three of them should be skilled in our tongue, three

in Arabic, three in Polish, and three in each of the other

languages, and no recreation is allowed them unless they

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become more learned. For that they go out to the plain

for the sake of running about and hurling arrows and

lances, and of firing harquebuses, and for the sake ofhunting the wild animals and getting a knowledge of

plants and stones, and agriculture and pasturage;

sometimes the band of boys does one thing, sometimes

another.

They do not consider it necessary that the three rulersassisting Hoh should know other than the arts having

reference to their rule, and so they have only a historical

knowledge of the arts which are common to all. But their

own they know well, to which certainly one is dedicated

more than another. Thus Power is the most learned in the

equestrian art, in marshalling the army, in the markingout of camps, in the manufacture of every kind of

weapon and of warlike machines, in planning stratagems,

and in every affair of a military nature. And for these

reasons, they consider it necessary that these chiefs

should have been philosophers, historians, politicians,

and physicists. Concerning the other two triumvirs,

understand remarks similar to those I have made about

Power.

G.M. I really wish that you would recount all their public

duties, and would distinguish between them, and also

that you would tell clearly how they are all taught in

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common.

Capt. They have dwellings in common and dormitories,and couches and other necessaries. But at the end of

every six months they are separated by the masters.

Some shall sleep in this ring, some in another; some in

the first apartment, and some in the second; and these

apartments are marked by means of the alphabet on the

lintel. There are occupations, mechanical and theoretical,common to both men and women, with this difference,

that the occupations which require more hard work, and

walking a long distance, are practised by men, such as

ploughing, sowing, gathering the fruits, working at the

threshing-floor, and perchance at the vintage. But it is

customary to choose women for milking the cows andfor making cheese. In like manner, they go to the gardens

near to the outskirts of the city both for collecting the

plants and for cultivating them. In fact, all sedentary and

stationary pursuits are practised by the women, such as

weaving, spinning, sewing, cutting the hair, shaving,

dispensing medicines, and making all kinds of garments.

They are, however, excluded from working in wood and

the manufacture of arms. If a woman is fit to paint, she is

not prevented from doing so; nevertheless, music is

given over to the women alone, because they please the

more, and of a truth to boys also. But the women have

not the practise of the drum and the horn.

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And they prepare their feasts and arrange the tables in

the following manner. It is the peculiar work of the boysand girls under twenty to wait at the tables. In every ring

there are suitable kitchens, barns, and stores of utensils

for eating and drinking, and over every department an

old man and an old woman preside. These two have at

once the command of those who serve, and the power of

chastising, or causing to be chastised, those who are

negligent or disobedient; and they also examine and

mark each one, both male and female, who excels in his

or her duties.

All the young people wait upon the older ones who have

passed the age of forty, and in the evening when they go

to sleep the master and mistress command that those

should be sent to work in the morning, upon whom in

succession the duty falls, one or two to separate

apartments. The young people, however, wait upon one

another, and that alas! with some unwillingness. They

have first and second tables, and on both sides there are

seats. On one side sit the women, on the other the men;and as in the refectories of the monks, there is no noise.

While they are eating a young man reads a book from a

platform, intoning distinctly and sonorously, and often

the magistrates question them upon the more important

parts of the reading. And truly it is pleasant to observe in

what manner these young people, so beautiful and

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clothed in garments so suitable, attend to them, and to

see at the same time so many friends, brothers, sons,

fathers, and mothers all in their turn living together withso much honesty, propriety, and love. So each one is

given a napkin, a plate, fish, and a dish of food. It is the

duty of the medical officers to tell the cooks what repasts

shall be prepared on each day, and what food for the old,

what for the young, and what for the sick. The

magistrates receive the full-grown and fatter portion, andthey from their share always distribute something to the

boys at the table who have shown themselves more

studious in the morning at the lectures and debates

concerning wisdom and arms. And this is held to be one

of the most distinguished honors. For six days they

ordain to sing with music at table. Only a few, however,sing; or there is one voice accompanying the lute and one

for each other instrument. And when all alike in service

join their hands, nothing is found to be wanting. The old

men placed at the head of the cooking business and of

the refectories of the servants praise the cleanliness of

the streets, the houses, the vessels, the garments, the

workshops, and the warehouses.

They wear white under-garments to which adheres a

covering, which is at once coat and legging, without

wrinkles. The borders of the fastenings are furnished

with globular buttons, extended round and caught up

27



here and there by chains. The coverings of the legs

descend to the shoes and are continued even to the heels.

Then they cover the feet with large socks, or, as it were,half-buskins fastened by buckles, over which they wear a

half-boot, and besides, as I have already said, they are

clothed with a toga. And so aptly fitting are the

garments, that when the toga is destroyed, the different

parts of the whole body are straightway discerned, no

part being concealed. They change their clothes fordifferent ones four times in the year, that is when the sun

enters respectively the constellations Aries, Cancer,

Libra, and Capricorn, and according to the circumstances

and necessity as decided by the officer of health. The

keepers of clothes for the different rings are wont to

distribute them, and it is marvellous that they have at thesame time as many garments as there is need for, some

heavy and some slight, according to the weather. They

all use white clothing, and this is washed in each month

with lye or soap, as are also the workshops of the lower

trades, the kitchens, the pantries the barns, the store-

houses, the armories, the refectories, and the baths.

Moreover, the clothes are washed at the pillars of the

peristyles, and the water is brought down by means of

canals which are continued as sewers. In every street of

the different rings there are suitable fountains, which

send forth their water by means of canals, the water

28



being drawn up from nearly the bottom of the mountain

by the sole movement of a cleverly contrived handle.

There is water in fountains and in cisterns, whither therain-water collected from the roofs of the houses is

brought through pipes full of sand. They wash their

bodies often, according as the doctor and master

command. All the mechanical arts are practised under the

peristyles, but the speculative are carried on above in the

walking galleries and ramparts where are the moresplendid paintings, but the more sacred ones are taught in

the temple. In the halls and wings of the rings there are

solar time-pieces and bells, and hands by which the

hours and seasons are marked off.

G.M. Tell me about their children.

Capt. When their women have brought forth children,

they suckle and rear them in temples set apart for all.

They give milk for two years or more as the physician

orders. After that time the weaned child is given into the

charge of the mistresses, if it is a female, and to themasters, if it is a male. And then with other young

children they are pleasantly instructed in the alphabet,

and in the knowledge of the pictures, and in running,

walking, and wrestling; also in the historical drawings,

and in languages; and they are adorned with a suitable

garment of different colors. After their sixth year they

29



are taught natural science, and then the mechanical

sciences. The men who are weak in intellect are sent to

farms, and when they have become more proficient someof them are received into the State. And those of the

same age and born under the same constellation are

especially like one another in strength and in appearance,

and hence arises much lasting concord in the State, these

men honoring one another with mutual love and help.

Names are given to them by Metaphysicus, and that not by chance, but designedly, and according to each one's

peculiarity, as was the custom among the ancient

Romans. Wherefore one is called Beautiful (Pulcher),

another the Big-nosed (Naso), another the Fat-legged

(Cranipes), another Crooked (Torvus), another Lean

(Macer), and so on. But when they have become veryskilled in their professions and done any great deed in

war or in time of peace, a cognomen from art is given to

them, such as Beautiful the Great Painter (Pulcher, Pictor

Magnus), the Golden One (Aureus), the Excellent One

(Excellens), or the Strong (Strenuus); or from their

deeds, such as Naso the Brave (Nason Fortis), or the

Cunning, or the Great, or Very Great Conqueror; or from

the enemy anyone has overcome, Africanus, Asiaticus,

Etruscus; or if anyone has overcome Manfred or

Tortelius, he is called Macer Manfred or Tortelius, and

so on. All these cognomens are added by the higher

magistrates, and very often with a crown suitable to the

30



deed or art, and with the flourish of music. For gold and

silver are reckoned of little value among them except as

material for their vessels and ornaments, which arecommon to all.

G.M. Tell me, I pray you, is there no jealousy among

them or disappointment to that one who has not been

elected to a magistracy, or to any other dignity to which

he aspires?

Capt. Certainly not. For no one wants either necessaries

or luxuries. Moreover, the race is managed for the good

of the commonwealth, and not of private individuals, and

the magistrates must be obeyed. They deny what we hold

— viz., that it is natural to man to recognize his offspringand to educate them, and to use his wife and house and

children as his own. For they say that children are bred

for the preservation of the species and not for individual

pleasure, as St. Thomas also asserts. Therefore the

breeding of children has reference to the commonwealth,

and not to individuals, except in so far as they areconstituents of the commonwealth. And since individuals

for the most part bring forth children wrongly and

educate them wrongly, they consider that they remove

destruction from the State, and therefore for this reason,

with most sacred fear, they commit the education of the

children, who, as it were, are the element of the republic,

31



to the care of magistrates; for the safety of the

community is not that of a few. And thus they distribute

male and female breeders of the best natures according to philosophical rules. Plato thinks that this distribution

ought to be made by lot, lest some men seeing that they

are kept away from the beautiful women, should rise up

with anger and hatred against the magistrates; and he

thinks further that those who do not deserve cohabitation

with the more beautiful women, should be deceivedwhile the lots are being led out of the city by the

magistrates, so that at all times the women who are

suitable should fall to their lot, not those whom they

desire. This shrewdness, however, is not necessary

among the inhabitants of the City of the Sun. For with

them deformity is unknown. When the women areexercised they get a clear complexion, and become

strong of limb, tall and agile, and with them beauty

consists in tallness and strength. Therefore, if any

woman dyes her face, so that it may become beautiful, or

uses high-heeled boots so that she may appear tall, or

garments with trains to cover her wooden shoes, she is

condemned to capital punishment. But if the women

should even desire them they have no facility for doing

these things. For who indeed would give them this

facility? Further, they assert that among us abuses of this

kind arise from the leisure and sloth of women. By these

means they lose their color and have pale complexions,

32



and become feeble and small. For this reason they are

without proper complexions, use high sandals, and

become beautiful not from strength, but from slothfultenderness. And thus they ruin their own tempers and

natures, and consequently those of their offspring.

Furthermore, if at any time a man is taken captive with

ardent love for a certain woman, the two are allowed to

converse and joke together and to give one another

garlands of flowers or leaves, and to make verses. But ifthe race is endangered, by no means is further union

between them permitted. Moreover, the love born of

eager desire is not known among them; only that born of

friendship.

Domestic affairs and partnerships are of little account, because, excepting the sign of honor, each one receives

what he is in need of. To the heroes and heroines of the

republic, it is customary to give the pleasing gifts of

honor, beautiful wreaths, sweet food, or splendid clothes,

while they are feasting. In the daytime all use white

garments within the city, but at night or outside the city

they use red garments either of wool or silk. They hate

black as they do dung, and therefore they dislike the

Japanese, who are fond of black. Pride they consider the

most execrable vice, and one who acts proudly is

chastised with the most ruthless correction. Wherefore

no one thinks it lowering to wait at table or to work in

33



the kitchen or fields. All work they call discipline, and

thus they say that it is honorable to go on foot, to do any

act of nature, to see with the eye, and to speak with thetongue; and when there is need, they distinguish

philosophically between tears and spittle.

Every man who, when he is told off to work, does his

duty, is considered very honorable. It is not the custom to

keep slaves. For they are enough, and more than enough,for themselves. But with us, alas! it is not so. In Naples

there exist 70,000 souls, and out of these scarcely 10,000

or 15,000 do any work, and they are always lean from

overwork and are getting weaker every day. The rest

become a prey to idleness, avarice, ill-health,

lasciviousness, usury, and other vices, and contaminateand corrupt very many families by holding them in

servitude for their own use, by keeping them in poverty

and slavishness, and by imparting to them their own

vices. Therefore public slavery ruins them; useful works,

in the field, in military service, and in arts, except those

which are debasing, are not cultivated, the few who do

practise them doing so with much aversion.

But in the City of the Sun, while duty and work are

distributed among all, it only falls to each one to work

for about four hours every day. The remaining hours are

spent in learning joyously, in debating, in reading, in

34



reciting, in writing, in walking, in exercising the mind

and body, and with play. They allow no game which is

played while sitting, neither the single die nor dice, norchess, nor others like these. But they play with the ball,

with the sack, with the hoop, with wrestling, with hurling

at the stake. They say, moreover, that grinding poverty

renders men worthless, cunning, sulky, thievish,

insidious, vagabonds, liars, false witnesses, etc.; and that

wealth makes them insolent, proud, ignorant, traitors,assumers of what they know not, deceivers, boasters,

wanting in affection, slanderers, etc. But with them all

the rich and poor together make up the community. They

are rich because they want nothing, poor because they

possess nothing; and consequently they are not slaves to

circumstances, but circumstances serve them. And onthis point they strongly recommend the religion of the

Christians, and especially the life of the apostles.

G.M. This seems excellent and sacred, but the

community of women is a thing too difficult to attain.

The holy Roman Clement says that wives ought to be

common in accordance with the apostolic institution, and

praises Plato and Socrates, who thus teach, but the

Glossary interprets this community with regard to

obedience. And Tertullian agrees with the Glossary, that

the first Christians had everything in common except

wives.

35



Capt. These things I know little of. But this I saw among

the inhabitants of the City of the Sun, that they did notmake this exception. And they defend themselves by the

opinion of Socrates, of Cato, of Plato, and of St.

Clement; but, as you say, they misunderstand the

opinions of these thinkers. And the inhabitants of the

solar city ascribe this to their want of education, since

they are by no means learned in philosophy.

Nevertheless, they send abroad to discover the customs

of nations, and the best of these they always adopt.

Practice makes the women suitable for war and other

duties. Thus they agree with Plato, in whom I have read

these same things. The reasoning of our Cajetan does not

convince me, and least of all that of Aristotle. This thing,

however, existing among them is excellent and worthy ofimitation — viz., that no physical defect renders a man

incapable of being serviceable except the decrepitude of

old age, since even the deformed are useful for

consultation. The lame serve as guards, watching with

the eyes which they possess. The blind card wool with

their hands, separating the down from the hairs, withwhich latter they stuff the couches and sofas; those who

are without the use of eyes and hands give the use of

their ears or their voice for the convenience of the State,

and if one has only one sense he uses it in the farms. And

these cripples are well treated, and some become spies,

telling the officers of the State what they have heard.

36



G.M. Tell me now, I pray you, of their military affairs.

Then you may explain their arts, ways of life andsciences, and lastly their religion.

Capt. The triumvir, Power, has under him all the

magistrates of arms, of artillery, of cavalry, of foot-

soldiers, of architects, and of strategists; and the masters

and many of the most excellent workmen obey themagistrates, the men of each art paying allegiance to

their respective chiefs. Moreover, Power is at the head of

all the professors of gymnastics, who teach military

exercise, and who are prudent generals, advanced in age.

By these the boys are trained after their twelfth year.

Before this age, however, they have been accustomed towrestling, running, throwing the weight, and other minor

exercises, under inferior masters. But at twelve they are

taught how to strike at the enemy, at horses and

elephants, to handle the spear, the sword, the arrow, and

the sling; to manage the horse, to advance and to retreat,

to remain in order of battle, to help a comrade in arms, to

anticipate the enemy by cunning, and to conquer.

The women also are taught these arts under their own

magistrates and mistresses, so that they may be able if

need be to render assistance to the males in battles near

the city. They are taught to watch the fortifications lest at

37



some time a hasty attack should suddenly be made. In

this respect they praise the Spartans and Amazons. The

women know well also how to let fly fiery balls, andhow to make them from lead; how to throw stones from

pinnacles and to go in the way of an attack. They are

accustomed also to give up wine unmixed altogether, and

that one is punished most severely who shows any fear.

The inhabitants of the City of the Sun do not fear death, because they all believe that the soul is immortal, and

that when it has left the body it is associated with other

spirits, wicked or good, according to the merits of this

present life. Although they are partly followers of

Brahma and Pythagoras, they do not believe in the

transmigration of souls, except in some cases by adistinct decree of God. They do not abstain from injuring

an enemy of the republic and of religion, who is

unworthy of pity. During the second month the army is

reviewed, and every day there is practice of arms, either

in the cavalry plain or within the walls. Nor are they ever

without lectures on the science of war. They take care

that the accounts of Moses, of Joshua, of David, of Judas

Maccabaeus, of Caesar, of Alexander, of Scipio, of

Hannibal, and other great soldiers should be read. And

then each one gives his own opinion as to whether these

generals acted well or ill, usefully or honorably, and then

the teacher answers and says who are right.

38



G.M. With whom do they wage war, and for what

reasons, since they are so prosperous?

Capt. Wars might never occur, nevertheless they are

exercised in military tactics and in hunting, lest

perchance they should become effeminate and

unprepared for any emergency. Besides, there are four

kingdoms in the island, which are very envious of their

prosperity, for this reason that the people desire to live

after the manner of the inhabitants of the City of the Sun,

and to be under their rule rather than that of their own

kings. Wherefore the State often makes war upon these

because, being neighbors, they are usurpers and live

impiously, since they have not an object of worship and

do not observe the religion of other nations or of the

Brahmins. And other nations of India, to which formerly

they were subject, rise up as it were in rebellion, as also

do the Taprobanese, whom they wanted to join them at

first. The warriors of the City of the Sun, however, are

always the victors. As soon as they suffered from insult

or disgrace or plunder, or when their allies have beenharassed, or a people have been oppressed by a tyrant of

the State (for they are always the advocates of liberty),

they go immediately to the Council for deliberation.

After they have knelt in the presence of God, that he

might inspire their consultation, they proceed to examine

the merits of the business, and thus war is decided on.

39



Immediately after, a priest, whom they call Forensic, is

sent away. He demands from the enemy the restitution of

the plunder, asks that the allies should be freed fromoppression, or that the tyrant should be deposed. If they

deny these things war is declared by invoking the

vengeance of God — the God of Sabaoth — for

destruction of those who maintain an unjust cause. But if

the enemy refuse to reply, the priest gives him the space

of one hour for his answer, if he is a king, but three if itis a republic, so that they cannot escape giving a

response. And in this manner is war undertaken against

the insolent enemies of natural rights and of religion.

When war has been declared, the deputy of Power

performs everything, but Power, like the Roman dictator,

plans and wills everything, so that hurtful tardiness may be avoided. And when anything of great moment arises

he consults Hoh and Wisdom and Love.

Before this, however, the occasion of war and the justice

of making an expedition are declared by a herald in the

great Council. All from twenty years and upward are

admitted to this Council, and thus the necessaries are

agreed upon. All kinds of weapons stand in the armories,

and these they use often in sham fights. The exterior

walls of each ring are full of guns prepared by their

labors, and they have other engines for hurling which are

called cannons, and which they take into battle upon

40



mules and asses and carriages. When they have arrived

in an open plain they enclose in the middle the

provisions, engines of war, chariots, ladders, andmachines, and all fight courageously. Then each one

returns to the standards, and the enemy thinking that they

are giving and preparing to flee, are deceived and relax

their order: then the warriors of the City of the Sun,

wheeling into wings and columns on each side, regain

their breath and strength, and ordering the artillery todischarge their bullets they resume the fight against a

disorganized host. And they observe many ruses of this

kind. They overcome all mortals with their stratagems

and engines. Their camp is fortified after the manner of

the Romans. They pitch their tents and fortify with wall

and ditch with wonderful quickness. The masters ofworks, of engines and hurling machines, stand ready, and

the soldiers understand the use of the spade and the axe.

Five, eight, or ten leaders learned in the order of battle

and in strategy consult together concerning the business

of war, and command their bands after consultation. It is

their wont to take out with them a body of boys, armed

and on horses, so that they may learn to fight, just as the

whelps of lions and wolves are accustomed to blood.

And these in time of danger betake themselves to a place

of safety, along with many armed women. After the

battle the women and boys soothe and relieve the pain of

41



the warriors, and wait upon them and encourage them

with embraces and pleasant words. How wonderful a

help is this! For the soldiers, in order that they mayacquit themselves as sturdy men in the eyes of their

wives and offspring, endure hardships, and so love

makes them conquerors. He who in the fight first scales

the enemy's walls receives after the battle of a crown of

grass, as a token of honor, and at the presentation the

women and boys applaud loudly; that one who affordsaid to an ally gets a civic crown of oak-leaves; he who

kills a tyrant dedicates his arms in the temple and

receives from Hoh the cognomen of his deed, and other

warriors obtain other kinds of crowns.

Every horse-soldier carries a spear and two stronglytempered pistols, narrow at the mouth, hanging from his

saddle. And to get the barrels of their pistols narrow they

pierce the metal which they intend to convert into arms.

Further, every cavalry soldier has a sword and a dagger.

But the rest, who form the light-armed troops, carry a

metal cudgel. For if the foe cannot pierce their metal for

pistols and cannot make swords, they attack him with

clubs, shatter and overthrow him. Two chains of six

spans length hang from the club, and at the end of these

are iron balls, and when these are aimed at the enemy

they surround his neck and drag him to the ground; and

in order that they may be able to use the club more

42



easily, they do not hold the reins with their hands, but

use them by means of the feet. If perchance the reins are

interchanged above the trappings of the saddle, the endsare fastened to the stirrups with buckles, and not to the

feet. And the stirrups have an arrangement for swift

movement of the bridle, so that they draw in or let out

the rein with marvellous celerity. With the right foot they

turn the horse to the left, and with the left to the right.

This secret, moreover, is not known to the Tartars. For,although they govern the reins with their feet, they are

ignorant nevertheless of turning them and drawing them

in and letting them out by means of the block of the

stirrups. The lightarmed cavalry with them are the first to

engage in battle, then the men forming the phalanx with

their spears, then the archers for whose services a great price is paid, and who are accustomed to fight in lines

crossing one another as the threads of cloth, some

rushing forward in their turn and others receding. They

have a band of lancers strengthening the line of battle,

but they make trial of the swords only at the end.

After the battle they celebrate the military triumphs after

the manner of the Romans, and even in a more

magnificent way. Prayers by the way of thank-offerings

are made to God, and then the general presents himself in

the temple, and the deeds, good and bad, are related by

the poet or historian, who according to custom was with

43



the expedition. And the greatest chief, Hoh, crowns the

general with laurel and distributes little gifts and honors

to all the valorous soldiers, who are for some days freefrom public duties. But this exemption from work is by

no means pleasing to them, since they know not what it

is to be at leisure, and so they help their companions. On

the other hand, they who have been conquered through

their own fault, or have lost the victory, are blamed; and

they who were the first to take to flight are in no wayworthy to escape death, unless when the whole army

asks their lives, and each one takes upon himself a part

of their punishment. But this indulgence is rarely

granted, except when there are good reasons favoring it.

But he who did not bear help to an ally or friend is

beaten with rods. That one who did not obey orders isgiven to the beasts, in an enclosure, to be devoured, and

a staff is put in his hand, and if he should conquer the

lions and the bears that are there, which is almost

impossible, he is received into favor again. The

conquered States or those willingly delivered up to them,

forthwith have all things in common, and receive a

garrison and magistrates from the City of the Sun, and by

degrees they are accustomed to the ways of the city, the

mistress of all, to which they even send their sons to be

taught without contributing anything for expense.

It would be too great trouble to tell you about the spies

44



and their master, and about the guards and laws and

ceremonies, both within and without the State, which

you can of yourself imagine. Since from childhood theyare chosen according to their inclination and the star

under which they were born, therefore each one working

according to his natural propensity does his duty well

and pleasantly, because naturally. The same things I may

say concerning strategy and the other functions.

There are guards in the city by day and by night, and

they are placed at the four gates, and outside the walls of

the seventh ring, above the breastworks and towers and

inside mounds. These places are guarded in the day by

women, in the night by men. And lest the guard should

become weary of watching, and in case of a surprise,they change them every three hours, as is the custom

with our soldiers. At sunset, when the drum and

symphonia sound, the armed guards are distributed.

Cavalry and infantry make use of hunting as the symbol

of war and practise games and hold festivities in the

plains. Then the music strikes up, and freely they pardon

the offences and faults of the enemy, and after the

victories they are kind to them, if it has been decreed that

they should destroy the walls of the enemy's city and

take their lives. All these things are done on the same

day as the victory, and afterward they never cease to load

the conquered with favors, for they say that there ought

45



to be no fighting, except when the conquerors give up the

conquered, not when they kill them. If there is a dispute

among them concerning injury or any other matter (forthey themselves scarcely ever contend except in matters

of honor), the chief and his magistrates chastise the

accused one secretly, if he has done harm in deeds after

he has been first angry. If they wait until the time of the

battle for the verbal decision, they must give vent to their

anger against the enemy, and he who in battle shows themost daring deeds is considered to have defended the

better and truer cause in the struggle, and the other

yields, and they are punished justly. Nevertheless, they

are not allowed to come to single combat, since right is

maintained by the tribunal, and because the unjust cause

is often apparent when the more just succumbs, and hewho professes to be the better man shows this in public

fight.

G.M. This is worth while, so that factions should not be

cherished for the harm of the fatherland, and so that civil

wars might not occur, for by means of these a tyrant

often arises, as the examples of Rome and Athens show.

Now, I pray you, tell me of their works and matter

connected therewith.

Capt. I believe that you have already heard about their

military affairs and about their agricultural and pastoral

46



life, and in what way these are common to them, and

how they honor with the first grade of nobility whoever

is considered to have knowledge of these. They who areskilful in more arts than these they consider still nobler,

and they set that one apart for teaching the art in which

he is most skilful. The occupations which require the

most labor, such as working in metals and building, are

the most praiseworthy among them. No one declines to

go to these occupations, for the reason that from the beginning their propensities are well known, and among

them, on account of the distribution of labor, no one does

work harmful to him, but only that which is necessary for

him. The occupations entailing less labor belong to the

women. All of them are expected to know how to swim,

and for this reason ponds are dug outside the walls of thecity and within them near to the fountains.

Commerce is of little use to them, but they know the

value of money, and they count for the use of their

ambassadors and explorers, so that with it they may have

the means of living. They receive merchants into their

States from the different countries of the world, and

these buy the superfluous goods of the city. The people

of the City of the Sun refuse to take money, but in

importing they accept in exchange those things of which

they are in need, and sometimes they buy with money;

and the young people in the City of the Sun are much

47



amused when they see that for a small price they receive

so many things in exchange. The old men, however, do

not laugh. They are unwilling that the State should becorrupted by the vicious customs of slaves and

foreigners. Therefore they do business at the gates, and

sell those whom they have taken in war or keep them for

digging ditches and other hard work without the city, and

for this reason they always send four bands of soldiers to

take care of the fields, and with them there are thelaborers. They go out of the four gates from which roads

with walls on both sides of them lead to the sea, so that

goods might easily be carried over them and foreigners

might not meet with difficulty on their way.

To strangers they are kind and polite; they keep them forthree days at the public expense; after they have first

washed their feet, they show them their city and its

customs, and they honor them with a seat at the Council

and public table, and there are men whose duty it is to

take care of and guard the guests. But if strangers should

wish to become citizens of their State, they try them first

for a month on a farm, and for another month in the city,

then they decide concerning them, and admit them with

certain ceremonies and oaths.

Agriculture is much followed among them; there is not a

span of earth without cultivation, and they observe the

48



winds and propitious stars. With the exception of a few

left in the city all go out armed, and with flags and drums

and trumpets sounding, to the fields, for the purposes of ploughing, sowing, digging, hoeing, reaping, gathering

fruit and grapes; and they set in order everything, and do

their work in a very few hours and with much care. They

use wagons fitted with sails which are borne along by the

wind even when it is contrary, by the marvellous

contrivance of wheels within wheels.

And when there is no wind a beast draws along a huge

cart, which is a grand sight.

The guardians of the land move about in the meantime,

armed and always in their proper turn. They do not usedung and filth for manuring the fields, thinking that the

fruit contracts something of their rottenness, and when

eaten gives a short and poor subsistence, as women who

are beautiful with rouge and from want of exercise bring

forth feeble offspring. Wherefore they do not as it were

paint the earth, but dig it up well and use secret remedies,so that fruit is borne quickly and multiplies, and is not

destroyed. They have a book for this work, which they

call the Georgics. As much of the land as is necessary is

cultivated, and the rest is used for the pasturage of cattle.

The excellent occupation of breeding and rearing horses,

49



oxen, sheep, dogs, and all kinds of domestic and tame

animals is in the highest esteem among them as it was in

the time of Abraham. And the animals are led so to pairthat they may be able to breed well.

Fine pictures of oxen, horses, sheep, and other animals

are placed before them. They do not turn out horses with

mares to feed, but at the proper time they bring them

together in an enclosure of the stables in their fields. Andthis is done when they observe that the constellation

Archer is in favorable conjunction with Mars and Jupiter.

For the oxen they observe the Bull, for the sheep the

Ram, and so on in accordance with art. Under the

Pleiades they keep a drove of hens and ducks and geese,

which are driven out by the women to feed near the city.The women only do this when it is a pleasure to them.

There are also places enclosed, where they make cheese,

butter, and milk-food. They also keep capons, fruit, and

other things, and for all these matters there is a book

which they call the Bucolics. They have an abundance of

all things, since everyone likes to be industrious, their

labors being slight and profitable. They are docile, and

that one among them who is head of the rest in duties of

this kind they call king. For they say that this is the

proper name of the leaders, and it does not belong to

ignorant persons. It is wonderful to see how men and

women march together collectively, and always in

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obedience to the voice of the king. Nor do they regard

him with loathing as we do, for they know that although

he is greater than themselves, he is for all that their fatherand brother. They keep groves and woods for wild

animals, and they often hunt.

The science of navigation is considered very dignified by

them, and they possess rafts and triremes, which go over

the waters without rowers or the force of the wind, but by a marvellous contrivance. And other vessels they have

which are moved by the winds. They have a correct

knowledge of the stars, and of the ebb and flow of the

tide. They navigate for the sake of becoming acquainted

with nations and different countries and things. They

injure nobody, and they do not put up with injury, andthey never go to battle unless when provoked. They

assert that the whole earth will in time come to live in

accordance with their customs, and consequently they

always find out whether there be a nation whose manner

of living is better and more approved than the rest. They

admire the Christian institutions and look for a

realization of the apostolic life in vogue among

themselves and in us. There are treaties between them

and the Chinese and many other nations, both insular and

continental, such as Siam and Calicut, which they are

only just able to explore. Furthermore, they have

artificial fires, battles on sea and land, and many strategic

51



secrets. Therefore they are nearly always victorious.

G.M. Now it would be very pleasant to learn with whatfoods and drinks they are nourished, and in what way

and for how long they live.

Capt. Their food consists of flesh, butter, honey, cheese,

garden herbs, and vegetables of various kinds. They were

unwilling at first to slay animals, because it seemedcruel; but thinking afterward that is was also cruel to

destroy herbs which have a share of sensitive feeling,

they saw that they would perish from hunger unless they

did an unjustifiable action for the sake of justifiable ones,

and so now they all eat meat. Nevertheless, they do not

kill willingly useful animals, such as oxen and horses.They observe the difference between useful and harmful

foods, and for this they employ the science of medicine.

They always change their food. First they eat flesh, then

fish, then afterward they go back to flesh, and nature is

never incommoded or weakened. The old people use the

more digestible kind of food, and take three meals a day,eating only a little. But the general community eat twice,

and the boys four times, that they may satisfy nature. The

length of their lives is generally 100 years, but often they

reach 200.

As regards drinking, they are extremely moderate. Wine

52



is never given to young people until they are ten years

old, unless the state of their health demands it. After their

tenth year they take it diluted with water, and so do thewomen, but the old men of fifty and upward use little or

no water. They eat the most healthy things, according to

the time of the year.

They think nothing harmful which is brought forth by

God, except when there has been abuse by taking toomuch. And therefore in the summer they feed on fruits,

because they are moist and juicy and cool, and

counteract the heat and dryness. In the winter they feed

on dry articles, and in the autumn they eat grapes, since

they are given by God to remove melancholy and

sadness; and they also make use of scents to a greatdegree. In the morning, when they have all risen they

comb their hair and wash their faces and hands with cold

water. Then they chew thyme or rock-parsley or fennel,

or rub their hands with these plants. The old men make

incense, and with their faces to the east repeat the short

prayer which Jesus Christ taught us. After this they go to

wait upon the old men, some go to the dance, and others

to the duties of the State. Later on they meet at the early

lectures, then in the temple, then for bodily exercise.

Then for a little while they sit down to rest, and at length

they go to dinner.

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Among them there is never gout in the hands or feet, nor

catarrh, nor sciatica, nor grievous colics, nor flatulency,

nor hard breathing. For these diseases are caused byindigestion and flatulency, and by frugality and exercise

they remove every humor and spasm. Therefore it is

unseemly in the extreme to be seen vomiting or spitting,

since they say that this is a sign either of little exercise,

or of ignoble sloth, or of drunkenness, or gluttony. They

suffer rather from swellings or from the dry spasm,which they relieve with plenty of good and juicy food.

They heal fevers with pleasant baths and with milkfood,

and with a pleasant habitation in the country and by

gradual exercise. Unclean diseases cannot be prevalent

with them because they often clean their bodies by

bathing in wine, and soothe them with aromatic oil, and by the sweat of exercise they diffuse the poisonous vapor

which corrupts the blood and the marrow. They do suffer

a little from consumption, because they cannot perspire

at the breast, but they never have asthma, for the humid

nature of which a heavy man is required. They cure hot

fevers with cold potations of water, but slight ones with

sweet smells, with cheese-bread or sleep, with music or

dancing. Tertiary fevers are cured by bleeding, by

rhubarb or by a similar drawing remedy, or by water

soaked in the roots of plants, with purgative and sharp-

tasting qualities. But it is rarely that they take purgative

medicines. Fevers occurring every fourth day are cured

54



easily by suddenly startling the unprepared patients, and

by means of herbs producing effects opposite to the

humors of this fever. All these secrets they told me inopposition to their own wishes. They take more diligent

pains to cure the lasting fevers, which they fear more,

and they strive to counteract these by the observation of

stars and of plants, and by prayers to God. Fevers

recurring every fifth, sixth, eighth or more days, you

never find whenever heavy humors are wanting.

They use baths, and moreover they have warm ones

according to the Roman custom, and they make use also

of olive oil. They have found out, too, a great many

secret cures for the preservation of cleanliness and

health. And in other ways they labor to cure the epilepsy,with which they are often troubled.

G.M. A sign this disease is of wonderful cleverness, for

from it Hercules, Scotus, Socrates, Callimachus, and

Mahomet have suffered.

Capt. They cure by means of prayers to heaven, by

strengthening the head, by acids, by planned gymnastics,

and with fat cheese-bread sprinkled with the flour of

wheaten corn. They are very skilled in making dishes,

and in them they put spice, honey, butter, and many

highly strengthening spices, and they temper their

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richness with acids, so that they never vomit. They do

not drink ice-cold drinks nor artificial hot drinks, as the

Chinese do; for they are not without aid against thehumors of the body, on account of the help they get from

the natural heat of the water; but they strengthen it with

crushed garlic, with vinegar, with wild thyme, with mint,

and with basil, in the summer or in time of special

heaviness. They know also a secret for renovating life

after about the seventieth year, and for ridding it ofaffliction, and this they do by a pleasing and indeed

wonderful art.

G.M. Thus far you have said nothing concerning their

sciences and magistrates.

Capt. Undoubtedly I have But since you are so curious I

will add more. Both when it is new moon and full moon

they call a council after a sacrifice. To this all from

twenty years upward are admitted, and each one is asked

separately to say what is wanting in the State, and which

of the magistrates have discharged their duties rightlyand which wrongly. Then after eight days all the

magistrates assemble, to wit, Hoh first, and with him

Power, Wisdom, and Love. Each one of the three last has

three magistrates under him, making in all thirteen, and

they consider the affairs of the arts pertaining to each one

of them: Power, of war; Wisdom, of the sciences; Love,

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of food, clothing, education, and breeding. The masters

of all the bands, who are captains of tens, of fifties, of

hundreds, also assemble, the women first and then themen. They argue about those things which are for the

welfare of the State, and they choose the magistrates

from among those who have already been named in the

great Council. In this manner they assemble daily, Hoh

and his three princes, and they correct, confirm, and

execute the matters passing to them, as decisions in theelections; other necessary questions they provide of

themselves. They do not use lots unless when they are

altogether doubtful how to decide. The eight magistrates

under Hoh, Power, Wisdom, and Love are changed

according to the wish of the people, but the first four are

never changed, unless they, taking counsel withthemselves, give up the dignity of one to another, whom

among them they know to be wiser, more renowned, and

more nearly perfect. And then they are obedient and

honorable, since they yield willingly to the wiser man

and are taught by him. This, however, rarely happens.

The principals of the sciences, except Metaphysic, who

is Hoh himself, and is, as it were, the architect of all

science, having rule over all, are attached to Wisdom.

Hoh is ashamed to be ignorant of any possible thing.

Under Wisdom therefore are Grammar, Logic, Physics,

Medicine, Astrology, Astronomy, Geometry,

Cosmography, Music, Perspective, Arithmetic, Poetry,

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Rhetoric, Painting, Sculpture. Under the triumvir Love

are Breeding, Agriculture, Education, Medicine,

Clothing, Pasturage, Coining.

G.M. What about their judges?

Capt. This is the point I was just thinking of explaining.

Everyone is judged by the first master of his trade, and

thus all the head artificers are judges. They punish withexile, with flogging, with blame, with deprivation of the

common table, with exclusion from the church and from

the company of women. When there is a case in which

great injury has been done, it is punished with death, and

they repay an eye with an eye, a nose for a nose, a tooth

for a tooth, and so on, according to the law of retaliation.If the offence is wilful the Council decides. When there

is strife and it takes place undesignedly, the sentence is

mitigated; nevertheless, not by the judge but by the

triumvirate, from whom even it may be referred to Hoh,

not on account of justice but of mercy, for Hoh is able to

pardon. They have no prisons, except one tower forshutting up rebellious enemies, and there is no written

statement of a case, which we commonly call a lawsuit.

But the accusation and witnesses are produced in the

presence of the judge and Power; the accused person

makes his defence, and he is immediately acquitted or

condemned by the judge; and if he appeals to the

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triumvirate, on the following day he is acquitted or

condemned. On the third day he is dismissed through the

mercy and clemency of Hoh, or receives the inviolablerigor of his sentence. An accused person is reconciled to

his accuser and to his witnesses, as it were, with the

medicine of his complaint, that is, with embracing and

kissing.

No one is killed or stoned unless by the hands of the people, the accuser and the witnesses beginning first. For

they have no executioners and lictors, lest the State

should sink into ruin. The choice of death is given to the

rest of the people, who enclose the lifeless remains in

little bags and burn them by the application of fire, while

exhorters are present for the purpose of advisingconcerning a good death. Nevertheless, the whole nation

laments and beseeches God that his anger may be

appeased, being in grief that it should, as it were, have to

cut off a rotten member of the State. Certain officers talk

to and convince the accused man by means of arguments

until he himself acquiesces in the sentence of death

passed upon him, or else he does not die. But if a crime

has been committed against the liberty of the republic, or

against God, or against the supreme magistrates, there is

immediate censure without pity. These only are punished

with death. He who is about to die is compelled to state

in the presence of the people and with religious

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scrupulousness the reasons for which he does not deserve

death, and also the sins of the others who ought to die

instead of him, and further the mistakes of themagistrates. If, moreover, it should seem right to the

person thus asserting, he must say why the accused ones

are deserving of less punishment than he. And if by his

arguments he gains the victory he is sent into exile, and

appeases the State by means of prayers and sacrifices and

good life ensuing. They do not torture those named bythe accused person, but they warn them. Sins of frailty

and ignorance are punished only with blaming, and with

compulsory continuation as learners under the law and

discipline of those sciences or arts against which they

have sinned. And all these things they have mutually

among themselves, since they seem to be in very truthmembers of the same body, and one of another.

This further I would have you know, that if a

transgressor, without waiting to be accused, goes of his

own accord before a magistrate, accusing himself and

seeking to make amends, that one is liberated from the

punishment of a secret crime, and since he has not been

accused of such a crime, his punishment is changed into

another. They take special care that no one should invent

slander, and if this should happen they meet the offence

with the punishment of retaliation. Since they always

walk about and work in crowds, five witnesses are

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required for the conviction of a transgressor. If the case

is otherwise, after having threatened him, he is released

after he has sworn an oath as the warrant of goodconduct. Or if he is accused a second or third time, his

increased punishment rests on the testimony of three or

two witnesses. They have but few laws, and these short

and plain, and written upon a flat table and hanging to

the doors of the temple, that is between the columns.

And on single columns can be seen the essences ofthings described in the very terse style of Metaphysic —

viz., the essences of God, of the angels, of the world, of

the stars, of man, of fate, of virtue, all done with great

wisdom. The definitions of all the virtues are also

delineated here, and here is the tribunal, where the judges

of all the virtues have their seat. The definition of acertain virtue is written under that column where the

judges for the aforesaid virtue sit, and when a judge

gives judgment he sits and speaks thus: O son, thou hast

sinned against this sacred definition of beneficence, or of

magnanimity, or of another virtue, as the case may be.

And after discussion the judge legally condemns him to

the punishment for the crime of which he is accused —

viz., for injury, for despondency, for pride, for

ingratitude, for sloth, etc. But the sentences are certain

and true correctives, savoring more of clemency than of

actual punishment.

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G.M. Now you ought to tell me about their priests, their

sacrifices, their religion, and their belief.

Capt. The chief priest is Hoh, and it is the duty of all the

superior magistrates to pardon sins. Therefore the whole

State by secret confession, which we also use, tell their

sins to the magistrates, who at once purge their souls and

teach those that are inimical to the people. Then the

sacred magistrates themselves confess their ownsinfulness to the three supreme chiefs, and together they

confess the faults of one another, though no special one

is named, and they confess especially the heavier faults

and those harmful to the State. At length the triumvirs

confess their sinfulness to Hoh himself, who forthwith

recognizes the kinds of sins that are harmful to the State,and succors with timely remedies. Then he offers

sacrifices and prayers to God. And before this he

confesses the sins of the whole people, in the presence of

God, and publicly in the temple, above the altar, as often

as it had been necessary that the fault should be

corrected. Nevertheless, no transgressor is spoken of by

his name. In this manner he absolves the people by

advising them that they should beware of sins of the

aforesaid kind. Afterward he offers sacrifice to God, that

he should pardon the State and absolve it of its sins, and

to teach and defend it. Once in every year the chief

priests of each separate subordinate State confess their

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sins in the presence of Hoh. Thus he is not ignorant of

the wrongdoings of the provinces, and forthwith he

removes them with all human and heavenly remedies.

Sacrifice is conducted after the following manner: Hoh

asks the people which one among them wishes to give

himself as a sacrifice to God for the sake of his fellows.

He is then placed upon the fourth table, with ceremonies

and the offering up of prayers: the table is hung up in awonderful manner by means of four ropes passing

through four cords attached to firm pulley-blocks in the

small dome of the temple. This done they cry to the God

of mercy, that he may accept the offering, not of a beast

as among the heathen, but of a human being. Then Hoh

orders the ropes to be drawn and the sacrifice is pulledup above to the centre of the small dome, and there it

dedicates itself with the most fervent supplications. Food

is given to it through a window by the priests, who live

around the dome, but it is allowed a very little to eat,

until it has atoned for the sins of the State. There with

prayer and fasting he cries to the God of heaven that he

might accept its willing offering. And after twenty or

thirty days, the anger of God being appeased, the

sacrifice becomes a priest, or sometimes, though rarely,

returns below by means of the outer way for the priests.

Ever after, this man is treated with great benevolence and

much honor, for the reason that he offered himself unto

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death for the sake of his country. But God does not

require death.

The priests above twenty-four years of age offer praises

from their places in the top of the temple. This they do in

the middle of the night, at noon, in the morning and in

the evening, to wit, four times a day they sing their

chants in the presence of God. It is also their work to

observe the stars and to note with the astrolabe theirmotions and influences upon human things, and to find

out their powers. Thus they know in what part of the

earth any change has been or will be, and at what time it

has taken place, and they send to find whether the matter

be as they have it. They make a note of predictions, true

and false, so that they may be able from experience to predict most correctly. The priests, moreover, determine

the hours for breeding and the days for sowing, reaping,

and gathering the vintage, and are, as it were, the

ambassadors and intercessors and connection between

God and man. And it is from among them mostly that

Hoh is elected. They write very learned treatises and

search into the sciences. Below they never descend,

unless for their dinner and supper, so that the essence of

their heads do not descend to the stomachs and liver.

Only very seldom, and that as a cure for the ills of

solitude, do they have converse with women. On certain

days Hoh goes up to them and deliberates with them

64



concerning the matters which he has lately investigated

for the benefit of the State and all the nations of the

world.

In the temple beneath, one priest always stands near the

altar praying for the people, and at the end of every hour

another succeeds him, just as we are accustomed in

solemn prayer to change every fourth hour. And this

method of supplication they call perpetual prayer. After ameal they return thanks to God. Then they sing the deeds

of the Christian, Jewish, and Gentile heroes, and of those

of all other nations, and this is very delightful to them.

Forsooth, no one is envious of another. They sing a

hymn to Love, one to Wisdom, and one each to all the

other virtues, and this they do under the direction of theruler of each virtue. Each one takes the woman he loves

most, and they dance for exercise with propriety and

stateliness under the peristyles. The women wear their

long hair all twisted together and collected into one knot

on the crown of the head, but in rolling it they leave one

curl. The men, however, have one curl only and the rest

of their hair around the head is shaven off. Further, they

wear a slight covering, and above this a round hat a little

larger than the size of their head. In the fields they use

caps, but at home each one wears a biretta, white, red, or

another color according to his trade or occupation.

Moreover, the magistrates use grander and more

65



imposing-looking coverings for the head.

They hold great festivities when the sun enters the fourcardinal points of the heavens, that is, when he enters

Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, and Aries. On these occasions

they have very learned, splendid, and, as it were, comic

performances. They celebrate also every full and every

new moon with a festival, as also they do the

anniversaries of the founding of the city, and of the dayswhen they have won victories or done any other great

achievement. The celebrations take place with the music

of female voices, with the noise of trumpets and drums,

and the firing of salutations. The poets sing the praises of

the most renowned leaders and the victories.

Nevertheless, if any of them should deceive even bydisparaging a foreign hero, he is punished. No one can

exercise the function of a poet who invents that which is

not true, and a license like this they think to be a pest of

our world, for the reason that it puts a premium upon

virtue and often assigns it to unworthy persons, either

from fear of flattery, or ambition, or avarice.

For the praise of no one is a statue erected until after his

death; but while he is alive, who has found out new arts

and very useful secrets, or who has rendered great

service to the State either at home or on the battle-field,

his name is written in the book of heroes. They do not

66



bury dead bodies, but burn them, so that a plague may

not arise from them, and so that they may be converted

into fire, a very noble and powerful thing, which has itscoming from the sun and returns to it. And for the above

reasons no chance is given for idolatry. The statues and

pictures of the heroes, however, are there, and the

splendid women set apart to become mothers often look

at them. Prayers are made from the State to the four

horizontal corners of the world — in the morning to therising sun, then to the setting sun, then to the south, and

lastly to the north; and in the contrary order in the

evening, first to the setting sun, to the rising sun, to the

north, and at length to the south. They repeat but one

prayer, which asks for health of body and of mind, and

happiness for themselves and all people, and theyconclude it with the petition "As it seems best to God."

The public prayer for all is long, and it is poured forth to

heaven. For this reason the altar is round and is divided

crosswise by ways at right angles to one another. By

these ways Hoh enters after he has repeated the four

prayers, and he prays looking up to heaven. And then a

great mystery is seen by them. The priestly vestments are

of a beauty and meaning like to those of Aaron. They

resemble nature and they surpass Art.

They divide the seasons according to the revolution of

the sun, and not of the stars, and they observe yearly by

67



how much time the one precedes the other. They hold

that the sun approaches nearer and nearer, and therefore

by ever-lessening circles reaches the tropics and theequator every year a little sooner. They measure months

by the course of the moon, years by that of the sun. They

praise Ptolemy, admire Copernicus, but place

Aristarchus and Philolaus before him. They take great

pains in endeavoring to understand the construction of

the world, and whether or not it will perish, and at whattime. They believe that the true oracle of Jesus Christ is

by the signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars,

which signs do not thus appear to many of us foolish

ones. Therefore they wait for the renewing of the age,

and perchance for its end.

They say that it is very doubtful whether the world was

made from nothing, or from the ruins of other worlds, or

from chaos, but they certainly think that it was made, and

did not exist from eternity. Therefore they disbelieve in

Aristotle, whom they consider a logican and not a

philosopher. From analogies, they can draw many

arguments against the eternity of the world. The sun and

the stars they, so to speak, regard as the living

representatives and signs of God, as the temples and holy

living altars, and they honor but do not worship them.

Beyond all other things they venerate the sun, but they

consider no created thing worthy the adoration of

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worship. This they give to God alone, and thus they

serve Him, that they may not come into the power of a

tyrant and fall into misery by undergoing punishment bycreatures of revenge. They contemplate and know God

under the image of the Sun, and they call it the sign of

God, His face and living image, by means of which light,

heat, life, and the making of all things good and bad

proceed. Therefore they have built an altar like to the sun

in shape, and the priests praise God in the sun and in thestars, as it were His altars, and in the heavens, His temple

as it were; and they pray to good angels, who are, so to

speak, the intercessors living in the stars, their strong

abodes. For God long since set signs of their beauty in

heaven, and of His glory in the sun. They say there is but

one heaven, and that the planets move and rise ofthemselves when they approach the sun or are in

conjunction with it.

They assert two principles of the physics of things

below, namely, that the sun is the father, and the earth

the mother; the air is an impure part of the heavens; all

fire is derived from the sun. The sea is the sweat of earth,

or the fluid of earth combusted, and fused within its

bowels, but is the bond of union between air and earth, as

the blood is of the spirit and flesh of animals. The world

is a great animal, and we live within it as worms live

within us. Therefore we do not belong to the system of

69



stars, sun, and earth, but to God only; for in respect to

them which seek only to amplify themselves, we are

born and live by chance; but in respect to God, whoseinstruments we are, we are formed by prescience and

design, and for a high end. Therefore we are bound to no

father but God, and receive all things from Him. They

hold as beyond question the immortality of souls, and

that these associate with good angels after death, or with

bad angels, according as they have likened themselves inthis life to either. For all things seek their like. They

differ little from us as to places of reward and

punishment. They are in doubt whether there are other

worlds beyond ours, and account it madness to say there

is nothing. Nonentity is incompatible with the infinite

entity of God. They lay down two principles ofmetaphysics, entity which is the highest God, and

nothingness which is the defect of entity. Evil and sin

come of the propensity to nothingness; the sin having its

cause not efficient, but in deficiency. Deficiency is, they

say, of power, wisdom, or will. Sin they place in the last

of these three, because he who knows and has the power

to do good is bound also to have the will, for will arises

out of them. They worship God in trinity, saying God is

the Supreme Power, whence proceeds the highest

Wisdom, which is the same with God, and from these

comes Love, which is both power and wisdom; but they

do not distinguish persons by name, as in our Christian

70



law, which has not been revealed to them. This religion,

when its abuses have been removed, will be the future

mistress of the world, as great theologians teach andhope. Therefore Spain found the New World (though its

first discoverer, Columbus, greatest of heroes, was a

Genoese), that all nations should be gathered under one

law. We know not what we do, but God knows, whose

instruments we are. They sought new regions for lust of

gold and riches, but God works to a higher end. The sunstrives to burn up the earth, not to produce plants and

men, but God guides the battle to great issues. His the

praise, to Him the glory!

G.M. Oh, if you knew what our astrologers say of the

coming age, and of our age, that has in it more historywithin 100 years than all the world had in 4,000 years

before! of the wonderful inventions of printing and guns,

and the use of the magnet, and how it all comes of

Mercury, Mars, the Moon, and the Scorpion!

Capt. Ah, well! God gives all in His good time. Theyastrologize too much.

* * *

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Endnotes

*

[1] A pace was 1-9/25 yard, 1,000 paces making a mile

Documents

Campanella- the City of the Sun